Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1887-04-14

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Spokane Review, in addition to what
we publish on our outside:
STATEMENT OF AN EYE WITNESS.
The steamer Spokane left Kingston
for Occur d'Alenc at about ten minutes
to l o'clock Monday afternoon, having
on board some nineteen or twenty.ont
passengers and no freight. We had left
Kingston but about ten minutes when
the boat reached point where Tho
stream is diyid I'd in two parts by an island
formed mostly Of DRIFT wood. AS tho
boat nearcd this point l remarked tt
those sitting near that it looked al
though the boat would strike the logs
She was running very fast, and in &
moment she touched the log and l jump
ed with three companions aud landed
safely. The boat swung off and in an.
other moment struck log below and
capsized, pitching all on board into the
middle Of the river. Pike caught onto
q log short distance away and hung fol
some time, but let 60 and sunk from
sight. Some of the passengers caught
hold of the floating boat and were carried
to the west bank, when several go'
ashore, while others AoaIed down to d
lower drift and managed to escape.
saw Mr.. Hanna come up once and
thought he had caught on to the boat.
Mr.. Higgins never came to the surface.
not word was spoken and | did not
hear man cry out. We had nothing to
work with and it was impossible to rem.
der any assistance. had a revolver
and loaded and fired it number of times
which attracted the people of Kingston
and a number Of boats arrived and rem.
dered all the aid in their power. 1t was
a horrible spectacle, especially as myself
and companions weR uuble to render
tho struggling people any assistance,
The survivors are now all right, except
ing Mr.. Wilson, who is sick from the
effects, at Kingston, aud Mr.. Green, who
is laid up at Occur dAlcue City.
THE BOAT.
The boat which caused the terrible
lost Of life is small concern of only a
few hundred tons burden and in size but
twenty Eve or thirty feet in length. 1t
has been used on lake Pen dOrielle for
the past two or three years and was used
there as an excursion steamer. During
the winter Mr.. Nelson Martin, formerly
proprietor Of the Spokane Falls and
Occur d'Alene stage line, and a resident
Of this city, decided upon putting an op-
position boat on the lake and river route,
and 20 purchased the boat in question
and named it the Spokane He but
recently launched the craft on the lake
and this was the first trip. Usually the
steamers only run to the Mission, some
thirty miles from the lake up the Occur
dAlene river. This portion Of the river
is 80 deep and so near level that it has no
perceptible current. During high water,
US is the case at present, small boats can
run clear to Kingston, some twelve miles
or more further up the stream. 1t
seems that Mr.. Martin made Kingston
his objective point on the trip. As Mr..
Leghorn stated the current was swift and
the steamer, which was in charge of Mr.
Martin aud the engineer, was running at
= high rate of speed. The river is very
sinuous and narrow, and great care is
required 10 managing craft. 1t is
stated that after the accident MIR. Martin
and the engineer, both of whom were
saved, were arrested and taken to King.
Bton. Of course the accident created
great excitement in the neighborhood
and crowd collected at the scene.
Every effort is being made to recover the
bodies OF the unfortunate victims. Geo.
7. Crane sent word of tho disaster to
this Office, and all who know Mr.. Crane
knows that he will leave nothing undone
within the human power to accomplish
the object. Many hands are lending
willing assistance, aud it is possible that
somo Of the bodies have already been
recovered. Unfortunately the telephone
wires between Occur dAlene and Kings
ton are down and there is no means Of
communication between the points only
BY water or overland. 1t is expected
hat parties will leave this city to-day for
Kingston for the purpose of taking in
charge the body Of j. c. Hanna, or
in the work Of recovery. The
news as received created intense excite
ment in town, and entirely overshadowed
Ill interest in the election.
THE DEAD.
j. G. Hanna, who lost his life on the
ill-!ated boat, has been a resident of the
Falls for the past four years. He was
a gentlemen who numbered large circle
Of friends in the community. He is a
member Ct the Masonic lodge here, and
has always been an active worker in that
organization. He was city clerk, and
has been book.keeper with Newport 4
Holly for long time. He was on a
Trip to the mines in the interest OF that
irm when he met his untimcly fate. He
leaves wife and several children. N.
Higgins was a wealthy capitalist from
Bangor, Me. He spent some time in
his city, and only left few days ago on
! Writ to the mines. Mr.. Pike was
M4.for the house OF Hegele & Co.,
Portland, and had many acquaintance
here. The others were not known in
his city.
INCIDENTS.